UN migration agency seeks $7.9 billion to help people on the move and their host communities

U.S. Flu activity ticked down last week, but respiratory virus season is far from over

Flu activity ticked down last week, but respiratory virus season is far from over in the US

The United States started the new year awash in respiratory illness, with high levels of flu, Covid-19 and RSV across most of the country. The latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that some measures of flu activity dipped in early January, but the single week of decrease is not a trend – and experts warn that more increases are likely to come.

In the latest update this week, and consistently through the season, the agency’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics has suggested that this respiratory disease season will probably result in a similar number of hospitalizations as last season. And while current hospital capacity is considered stable overall, the CDC says that hospitals in some parts of the country have reported strains on their resources due, in part, to increases in respiratory illness.

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U.S FEMA to improve disaster relief program to speed help for disaster victims

FEMA to overhaul its disaster aid system after decades of criticism

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The agency announced on Friday that it will fundamentally overhaul the way it delivers aid to survivors, launching new programs to provide quick cash payments to those in need and eliminating much of the bureaucracy that hampers aid access. 

“This is really a transformational, deeply impactful, meaningful, and historic change in our provision of individual assistance to survivors of natural disasters,” said Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA. “For too long, in the face of too many natural disasters and extreme weather events, survivors have had to overcome many barriers to access to federal assistance.”

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Advice on staying health during cold, flu and COVID season

January can be the worst month for these illnesses. With vaccination rates low, what can you do to protect yourself from respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV?

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Biden administration is drafting rules to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/health-202-heat-standards-osha-biden-climate-change-warehouse-workers/

With climate change posing rising threats to human health, the Biden administration is drafting federal rules to protect construction crews, warehouse workers, delivery drivers and the rest of America’s workforce from extreme heat. The regulatory effort has been years in the making, and its fate is far from certain. ...

Though it’s a key milestone, it’s just a preliminary step on a long bureaucratic road — one vulnerable to politics because a new rule probably wouldn’t be issued until years after the presidential election in November. If a Republican wins the White House, advocates say, a heat standard that targets businesses will likely fizzle.

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Congress passes stopgap to fund key health agencies until March 9

https://thehill.com/newsletters/health-care/4417049-congress-biden-bill-health-agencies/

The Senate and House on Thursday advanced legislation to avert a partial government shutdown before a Friday deadline, with funding for key health agencies set through early March. ...

The CR also delays cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments, which were initially scheduled to take place on Jan. 30 but will now happen on March 9.

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Long Covid: Change in a handful of blood proteins may pave way to tests and treatment --study

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-covid-cause-study-immune-system-complement-response-rcna134530

Scientists have identified a persistent change in a handful of blood proteins in people with long Covid that indicates that an important part of their immune system remains on high alert for months after an acute infection.

The findings, published Thursday in the journal Science, could help explain what causes the persistent fatigue, brain fog and other debilitating symptoms of long Covid, as well as pave the way for diagnostic tests and potentially, a long-awaited treatment, experts say. 

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US and UK announce biosecurity alliance to counter pandemics and bioterrorism

 

The UK and US have agreed to work together to counter growing biological threats such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and bioterrorism.

The two nations announced a new strategic dialogue on biosecurity on Tuesday.

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An estimated 14 million lives saved in Europe by COVID vaccines--study

Misinformation issue: Doctors worry about continued COVID misinformation in political season

Seeing COVID rates hit another high, and vaccine uptake remain low, doctors don’t have an antidote for something they see as an ongoing risk factor: the spread of misinformation, including on the presidential campaign trail.

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California officials shorten COVID isolation time guidance as infections peak

Improved ventilation, masks and other measures prevented most COVID transmissions in A california heathcare system--study

Covid funds scam: South Florida man faces nearly 100 years in prison for COVID-19 relief offenses

New British study on How Long Does It Take to Get COVID-19

The length of time you spend around a person with COVID-19 seems to heavily influence your likelihood of getting sick, according to a recent Nature study that has been peer-reviewed but not fully edited. Most exposures that result in transmission last at least an hour, if not much longer, the researchers say.

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Congressional health care legislation negotiations are still a struggle

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As Congress hurtles toward another government funding deadline, conversations between the House and Senate over a package to fund important health programs and other add-ons providers want haven’t reached a conclusion

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